Citizen Ruth

Name: Citizen Ruth
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: 1996-11-21
Duration: 1 h 44 min
Rating: 6.6
Cast: Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz, Kurtwood Smith, Mary Kay Place, Kelly Preston

1996·Movie·R·104 min·★ 6.6(154)

Drama Comedy More English titles

“Life, liberty, money and the pursuit of happiness. She's gotta have it.”

"Citizen Ruth" is the story of Ruth Stoops, a woman who nobody even noticed -- until she got pregnant. Now, everyone wants a piece of her. The film is a comedy about one woman caught in the ultimate tug-of-war: a clash of wild, noisy, ridiculous people that rapidly dissolves into a media circus.

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Where to watch Citizen Ruth in United States

Can I watch Citizen Ruth in United States? Yes — you can stream Citizen Ruth in United States on Kanopy, Hoopla, and YouTube Free, or rent and buy it on JustWatch TV and Amazon Video.

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Click a service to open Citizen Ruth there. Availability last verified on September 30, 2026.

Where is Citizen Ruth streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	Kanopy, Hoopla, YouTube Free	JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
India	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
United Kingdom	—	JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Canada	—	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Australia	—	JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Germany	—	Amazon Video
France	—	Amazon Video
Spain	—	Rakuten TV, Amazon Video

About Citizen Ruth

Citizen Ruth is a 1996 English-language drama and comedy film directed by Alexander Payne. The cast is led by Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz, Kurtwood Smith. It has a runtime of 1h 44m. Viewers rate it 6.6/10 across 200 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, YouTube Free.

Citizen Ruth was produced by Miramax and Independent Pictures and made in United States of America. It was released on November 21, 1996, and carries a R certification. Made on a budget of about $3 million, it went on to gross $0 million worldwide.

Director: Alexander Payne
Writers: Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Release date: November 21, 1996
Original language: English
Age rating: R
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Budget: $3 million
Box office: $0 million
Production: Miramax, Independent Pictures

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Citizen Ruth cast & crew

Citizen Ruth was directed by Alexander Payne and written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor.

The cast features Laura Dern as Ruth Stoops, Swoosie Kurtz as Diane Siegler, Kurtwood Smith as Norm Stoney, Mary Kay Place as Gail Stoney, Kelly Preston as Rachel, and M.C. Gainey as Harlan.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Rolfe Kent, cinematography is by James Glennon, and it was produced by Cary Woods and Cathy Konrad.

Is Citizen Ruth worth watching?

Citizen Ruth holds an audience score of 6.6/10 from 154 ratings, a solidly received drama films.

At 1h 44m, it's a standard feature-length watch.

If you enjoy drama and comedy, Citizen Ruth is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch Citizen Ruth

In United States, you can stream Citizen Ruth on Kanopy, Hoopla, and YouTube Free, or rent and buy it on JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Google Play Movies. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.